Extended shelf life milk—advances in technology

This paper describes trends and technological advances in the dairy industry for extended shelf life milk. Demands for longer shelf life and wider distribution of milk and milk products have resulted in the development of processes and packaging concepts to increase the shelf life of these products in cold chain distribution. Factors important for the shelf life of milk are described in detail, and changes necessary from normal pasteurized production are suggested. Various processing methods such as microfiltration, injection and infusion heat treatments are described, and advantages and disadvantages of the different methods explained. In addition, the contamination sources from process to package are discussed, and the prevention of such recontamination in the filling machine is proposed. The paper describes existing and novel methods for sterilization of packaging material in the filling machine and points to possible future developments in this important market segment in the dairy industry.     

原料乳微生物特性对ESL牛乳货架期影响的研究

研究了ESL乳生产过程中对原料乳质量的要求。结果表明,ESL乳的生产中,在保证原料乳细菌总数≤5×105mL-1时,原料乳中的芽孢数应控制在≤5×103mL-1,同时,应选取低温菌数量和体细胞数量都较低的原料乳。     

陶瓷膜微滤技术生产ESL牛乳的应用研究

对Membralox GP1．4μm陶瓷膜在脱脂牛奶除菌过程中的应用进行了实验研究。在原料温度50℃、浓缩倍数(VCR)为20的条件下，连续过滤6．5h，过膜压力(TMP)和流量基本保持恒定，细菌分离效率大于5；确定了膜的操作条件和再生方式，结果表明，膜过滤的牛奶采用不同的温度杀菌后无菌包装，货架期显著延长。应用膜过滤技术可生产延长货架期(ESL)牛奶。     

Bacillus and Paenibacillus species associated with extended shelf life milk during processing and storage

Characterisation of spore formers associated with extended shelf life milk was performed by analysing the bacteriological quality of milk samples collected at various processing stages and during storage. Isolates were identified with MALDI‐TOF‐MS. Milk had spore counts <2 log₁₀ cfu/mL and 4 log₁₀ cfu/mL during processing and storage, respectively. Bacillus pumilus dominated the bacterial population. Bacterial species were inoculated into sterile milk for a shelf life study, and the population change was observed over 42 days at 7 °C. Although the extended shelf life milk process was effective in reducing bacterial counts and species diversity, the presence of Bacillus cereus shows a potential safety problem in extended shelf life milk.     

超声波技术在ESL奶中的应用

研究了超声波结合热杀菌技术对鲜乳处理后，4℃贮藏条件下牛乳货架期间的品质变化情况。经测定牛奶的菌落总数、大肠杆菌及酸度等多种指标后，结果表明用频率为50kHz，温度为60℃超声波对牛乳杀菌60s后，再用温度为76℃的热处理杀菌15min后牛奶的品质保持最好．且在4℃贮藏条件下，牛乳的贮藏期达18d左右。     

盒装巴氏奶货架期的快速预测

采用阻抗法进行盒装巴氏奶货架期预测,结果表明,巴氏奶货架期与细菌数对数值密切相关,在30℃、6h预培养下加样300,400μL及37℃、6h预培养下加样100－400μL进行阻抗测定,建立回归方程式均可快速准确地进行盒装巴氏奶货架期预测,整个预测过程耗时14－20h.     

Shelf life prediction of aluminum foil laminated polyethylene packed vacuum dried coconut milk powder

Shelf life of vacuum dried coconut milk powder packed in aluminum foil laminated polyethylene packages was predicted using developed mathematical models based on two limiting criteria viz., onset of caking and lipid oxidation. Accelerated storage studies for coconut milk powder packed in aluminium foil laminated polyethylene pouches were conducted at 90 ± 1% relative humidity and 38 ± 2 °C temperature. Threshold value for the shelf life prediction based on moisture migration was taken as the critical moisture content at which lump formation was observed. Shelf life prediction based on lipid oxidation involved establishing relationships between rate of oxygen absorption, package oxygen concentration, volume of O₂ absorbed, peroxide value of the powder and storage time. A peroxide value of 10 mEq. of O₂ per kg fat was considered as the threshold limit for oxidative rancidity. A good fit between experimental and predicted data with relative deviation percent below 10% was observed during storage studies.     

Effects of ultra-high pressure homogenization on microbial and physicochemical shelf life of milk

The effect of ultra-high pressure homogenization (UHPH) on microbial and physicochemical shelf life of milk during storage at 4°C was studied and compared with a conventional heat preservation technology used in industry. Milk was standardized at 3.5% fat and was processed using a Stansted high-pressure homogenizer. High-pressure treatments applied were 100, 200, and 300 MPa (single stage) with a milk inlet temperature of 40°C, and 200 and 300 MPa (single stage) with a milk inlet temperature of 30°C. The UHPH-treated milks were compared with high-pasteurized milk (PA; 90°C for 15 s). The microbiological quality was studied by enumerating total counts, psychrotropic bacteria, lactococci, lactobacilli, enterococci, coliforms, spores, and Pseudomonas. Physicochemical parameters assessed in milks were viscosity, color, pH, acidity, rate of creaming, particle size, and residual peroxidase and phosphatase activities. Immediately after treatment, UHPH was as efficient (99.99%) in reducing psychrotrophic, lactococci, and total bacteria as was the PA treatment, reaching reductions of 3.5 log cfu/mL. Coliforms, lactobacilli, and enterococci were eliminated. Microbial results of treated milks during storage at 4°C showed that UHPH treatment produced milk with a microbial shelf life between 14 and 18 d, similar to that achieved for PA milk. The UHPH treatments reduced the L* value of treated milks and induced a reduction in viscosity values of milks treated at 200 MPa compared with PA milks; however, these differences would not be appreciated by consumers. In spite of the fat aggregates detected in milks treated at 300 MPa, no creaming was observed in any UHPH-treated milk. Hence, alternative methods such as UHPH may give new opportunities to develop fluid milk with an equivalent shelf life to that of PA milk in terms of microbial and physicochemical characteristics.     

Comparison of shelf life of vacuum-packed pork and beef

The relevance of the intrinsic factors of meat to the sensorial shelf life of vacuum-packed, cold-stored minced pork and beef was investigated. The intrinsic factors studied were the pH and the concentrations of glycogen, glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, l-lactate and fat. The initial bacterial loading was the same on all the meat. High correlations were found between the initial values of pH, fat and l-lactate, respectively, and the rate of spoilage. Using partial least square regression, it was shown that changes in the pH and the concentrations of l-lactate and glucose-6-phosphate during storage were able to explain 68% of the variation observed in the rate of spoilage. No relationship was found between spoilage and the origin of the meat (pork or beef).     

A survey of the quality of extended shelf life (ESL) milk in relation to HTST and UHT milk

Thirty milk samples [high‐temperature short‐time (HTST) milk, extended shelf life (ESL) milk (directly heated, indirectly heated, microfiltered), ultra‐high temperature milk] from 17 German dairies were analysed. Total viable counts of directly or indirectly heated ESL milk were significantly lower than those in microfiltered ESL and HTST milk. Evaluation of indigenous enzyme activity revealed sufficient heat treatments in all milk samples. The manufacturing processes were differentiated by estimating furosine and acid soluble whey proteins. Sensory examinations revealed a preference for HTST heated and microfiltered ESL milk. However, a significant discrimination of drinking milk types was not possible. Vitamin losses were not detected, and concentrations of vitamins in different types of milk were comparable.     

Manufacturing, properties and shelf life of labneh: a review

Labneh is a concentrated yogurt widely produced and consumed in the Middle Eastern countries and Balkans.
This review focuses attention on the different manufacturing methods of labneh and its quality in terms of microbiology, rheology, sensory and nutrition. The shelf life of this healthy milk-derived product is also discussed in this review.     

Comparative study on shelf life of whole milk processed by high-intensity pulsed electric field or heat treatment

The effect of high-intensity pulsed electric fields (HI-PEF) processing (35.5 kV/cm for 1,000 or 300 μ with bipolar 7-μs pulses at 111 Hz; the temperature outside the chamber was always < 40° C) on microbial shelf life and quality-related parameters of whole milk were investigated and compared with traditional heat pasteurization (75° C for 15 s), and to raw milk during storage at 4° C. A HIPEF treatment of 1,000 μ ensured the microbiological stability of whole milk stored for 5 d under refrigeration. Initial acidity values, pH, and free fatty acid content were not affected by the treatments; and no proteolysis and lipolysis were observed during 1 wk of storage in milk treated by HIPEF for 1,000 μ. The whey proteins (serum albumin, β-lactoglobulin, and α-lactalbumin) in HIPEF-treated milk were retained at 75.5, 79.9, and 60%, respectively, similar to values for milk treated by traditional heat pasteurization.     

Effect of electron beam irradiation on the shelf life of mozzarella cheese

The effectiveness of electron beam irradiation on the shelf life of mozzarella cheese was evaluated using five different irradiation doses and a control cheese. Shelf life tests were run at 10 °C by determining the cell load of spoilage micro‐organisms monitored on the consecutive days during storage. By fitting the experimental data through a modified version of the Gompertz equation, the shelf life of samples irradiated to the different doses was calculated. Results show significant increases in the shelf life of the investigated cheese. There were slight differences in the functional properties such as stretching, oiling off, melting between irradiated and unirradiated cheeses at 260 °C in oven. Our results indicated that the electron irradiation at the dose of 2.0 kGy may inhibit the growth of spoilage micro‐organisms such as coliforms and Pseudomonas sp. without affecting the sensorial characteristics of the product.     

奶粉加速破坏性实验中质量参数的确定

在35℃和45℃的恒湿贮存条件下，考察了全脂和脱脂奶粉的脂肪氧化以及参与美拉德反应的蛋白质变性情况。全脂奶粉由于脂肪含量高，45℃下的硫代巴比妥酸反应物(TBARS)在10d以后便开始递增，明显早于30d才变化的反映美拉德反应的荧光强度，说明首先导致全脂奶粉品质变化的原因是脂肪氧化。在35℃和45℃下。脱脂奶粉荧光强度的增加都先于全脂奶粉，并且增加的幅度都很大，通过运用SDS-PAGE对蛋白质结构进行分析对照，荧光强度可以实时反映蛋白质的变性程度。     

Effect of sourdough at different concentrations on quality and shelf life of bread

The objective of this work was to study the effect of sourdough obtained with selected exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains on the quality of bread and its shelf life. Two sourdough concentrations were used in order to ascertain the best bread composition. Fresh bread quality was studied by means of microbiological, physical, chemical and mechanical analysis, whereas physical, thermal and mechanical properties were investigated to study the product shelf life. The results showed that dough prepared with 30 g/100 g of sourdough had a negative impact on bread quality properties in the absence of EPS-producing LAB strains, whereas the opposite was observed in the presence of EPS-producing strains: bread samples at 30 g/100 g of sourdough showed higher volume, higher moisture content and better mechanical properties during storage than samples at 20 g/100 g of sourdough. Moreover, 30 g/100 g of sourdough showed a protective effect on bread staling, thus confirming the effect of sourdough concentration and the positive role of EPS on functional properties.     

Effect of protein content, casein–whey protein ratio and pH value on the foaming properties of skimmed milk

The average bubble diameter (ABD) and density of skimmed milk foam decreased with increasing protein content, up to 4%, while drainage was widely comparable. Samples with casein–whey protein ratios (C/W) of 94/6 and 7/93 showed smaller ABD than samples from mixtures with C/W ratios between 60/40 and 20/80. Foams prepared from samples with C/W of 20/80 exhibited the lowest drainage values after 10 min. Increasing pH from 6.4 to 7.0 led to increased overrun and ABD, while drainage was widely comparable, with a minimum value at pH 6.7. The protein composition of skimmed milk and foams prepared from this milk in relation to protein content, C/W ratio and pH value differed only slightly.     

Behaviour of volatile compounds during the shelf life of yoghurt

The production of acetaldehyde, diacetyl and ethanol was evaluated in whole plain yoghurts manufactured with commercial starter cultures, yoghurt acquired in a local market, and milk fermented by a single culture of either Streptococcus thermophilus or Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus . The headspace technique was used for sample preparation, following identification and quantification by gas chromatography. During an 8-h incubation period, mixed cultures were the most efficient in lowering the pH (from 6.30 to 4.8), followed by S. thermophilus (from 6.30 to 5.18) and L. bulgaricus (from 6.30 to 5.8). During the storage period, however, a single culture of L. bulgaricus decreased the pH more than S. thermophilus , but still less than the mixed commercial cultures. Plain yoghurts acquired in the market, those made with commercial starter cultures, and fermented milks obtained with single cultures showed, after 21 days of storage, concentrations of acetaldehyde from 11 to 35 mg/L, and of diacetyl from 0 to 0.85 mg/L. An increasing concentration of ethanol was observed during the storage period, and its production was observed even in the incubation stage of all products. It was also observed that the acetaldehyde concentration was inversely correlated to ethanol production in some products. The combination of headspace, identification and quantification techniques by gas chromatography in this work was efficient in the identification and quantification of the major aromatic compounds and ethanol content of yoghurt.     

Effectiveness of sweet ovine whey powder in increasing the shelf life of Amaretti cookies

The effect of sweet ovine whey powder on physical-chemical and textural changes during storage of Amaretti cookies is reported. The aim of the study was to study the impact of the ovine whey powder on the shelf life of cookies. Two batches of Amaretti cookies were prepared, with and without whey powder. Freshly baked Amaretti cookies were individually packaged with a high water vapour barrier film and stored for 120 days under controlled temperature/humidity conditions. Physico-chemical, textural and sensory changes were inspected at regular intervals during storage.The water-binding properties of ovine whey powder, as revealed by sorption isotherms and magnetic resonance imaging, resulted in delayed firming and increased shelf life of cookies with whey powder with respect to control cookies and did not influence the sensory properties. MRI allows visualizing differences in internal structure and proton distribution of the two batches of Amaretti cookies, pointing out the more homogeneous internal structure of the cookies where whey powder is added.     

植物油脂凝胶的氧化稳定性及货架期预测

目的：解决植物油替代固体脂肪易氧化且反式脂肪酸含量高的问题。方法：以谷甾醇/大豆磷脂为凝胶剂制备大豆油和菜籽油凝胶代替固体脂肪,通过初、次级氧化产物及脂肪酸组成变化研究其氧化稳定性,通过X-射线衍射观察结构稳定性,并采用OXITEST法预测其货架期。结果：大豆油凝胶和菜籽油凝胶的初、次级氧化产物含量均低于原油;植物油及其凝胶在贮藏过程中主要发生多不饱和脂肪酸的氧化,且凝胶的脂肪酸含量变化较小;X-射线衍射结果显示大豆油凝胶和菜籽油凝胶都具有稳定的β和β＇晶型结构;OXITEST测定结果表明,油脂凝胶能够有效延长油脂的氧化诱导期（IP）,并进一步延长油脂的货架期。结论：油脂凝胶具有良好的结构稳定性和氧化稳定性,能有效延长植物油的货架期,可作为固体脂肪的有效替代品。     

Estimating packaging atmosphere–temperature effects on the shelf life of cod fillets

The behaviour of the natural microflora (total bacterial count, psychrotrophic bacteria, total coliforms, and lactic acid bacteria) of fresh cod fillets packaged in air, under vacuum, in a modified atmosphere with low oxygen concentration (5%) and in a modified atmosphere with high oxygen concentration (80%) was monitored during storage at different isothermal conditions from 4 to 12 °C. The growth data of the total bacterial count and total coliforms were used to model kinetically the shelf life of the samples in order to check the effects of storage temperature and packaging atmosphere. The acceptability times were compared with the stability times to establish if the shelf lives predicted were correlated. At 4 °C, cod fillets packaged under vacuum and in a modified atmosphere with low oxygen concentration had a higher shelf life (6.00 and 5.42 days), calculated from the growth of the total bacterial count, than the samples packaged in other atmospheres (1.96 and 2.62). Kinetic modelling could be valuable for the prediction of microbial fish quality loss.